Loco Workshop Working Group
Overhaul of SECR C-class No.592

This page reports the activities of the Volunteer Loco Workshop Working Group, who assisted the workshop staff in undertaking the overhaul, between April 2006 and October 2007, of the SECR C-class Locomotive No.592.

Formal re-launch of the C-class - 3rd November 2007

The first photo above (from Phil Stoneman) shows the C-class moving out from the loco yard for its re-launch. The second (from Nick Talbot) shows the two SECR 0-6-0s together at Sheffield Park, O1-class No.65 and the slightly larger C-class. The former was being used on the vintage train that day, with the C hauling the LNWR Observation Car as a special to mark the relaunch.

Below we see the team (from Rob Faulkner), and (from Neil Glaskin) Fireman Russ Hubner and Driver Ben Weatheral with 592.

More photos of the event were (until the demise of fotopic.net) available from

Return to service of SECR C-class No.592 - 8-9 October 2007

The C Class was steamed on Sunday 7th October - lightly at first then up to full working pressure. The new valve cover has been fitted and it appears to be ok. In the evening the engine was run from the yard to the headshunt a couple of times and then from the headshunt to the advance starter and back to the yard.
There were a few minor issues that needed to be dealt with but everything
was then set for the engine to undertake the Monday shunt.

The photo on the right from Ray Wills shows the C-class shunting at Horsted Keynes on Monday 8 October - this was its first day in service.

Update on progress towards re-launch - 4 October 2007

Over Bluebell 125 weekend in August the SECR C-class No.592 was in light steam at Sheffield Park (photo right from Nick Beck). However, it still needed some mechanical work to complete the overhaul.

It was hoped that the loco would undertake the Carriage & Wagon department shunt at Horsted on 4th October - this would have been a good shake down for the loco, but sadly this didn't happen as the valve-setting is still being done. But we expect to see it running soon!

So far as the volunteer Loco Workshop Working Group is concerned, there isn't another loco in similar easy-to-fix condition, but a plan for another loco project is under discussion.

Steam Test - 8 August 2007

Photos from Rob Faulkner of the C-class loco No.592 undergoing its steam test today (which it passed). However there are still a few jobs that need to be done before it can enter service.

The photo on the right shows the loco backed onto a train which happened to be standing in the platform at Sheffield Park - but it has yet to undertake any loaded test runs.

Preparation and Painting - 8 July 2007

It's great
to see, after months of hard work by the workshop staff and the working
party, that the loco is now in the final stages of its overhaul.
However, we are not there just yet and there is plenty still to do!

The volunteer team spent much of Sunday rubbing down the boiler cladding - as ever, the secret of a good paint finish is in the preparation.

The second photo above shows the new cladding around the firebox, and the third photo on the right shows the gleaming paintwork on the tender, which now awaits lettering and lining.

Boiler now in the frames!

The loco's boiler is now in the frames - it's tempting to write "back in the frames" but then one remembers that this is the "spare" boiler, being fitted to the loco for the first time. Good to know it fits! These photos from Rob Faulkner taken on 10 June 2007, show the boiler, and its newly made smokebox in place, and the lagging and cladding work which was undertake by the volunteer working group on that day.

More photos from Rob Faulkner taken on 27 May 2007, showing the new seats for 592, the rear end of the tender prepared for repainting, the steam reverser being refitted, the new bufferbeam is being painted, and the wheels are being lined out. You will also notice that the loco frames have been re-wheeled.

Two more photos from Rob Faulkner, showing the replacement boiler's first (low pressure) steam test, on 25 April, and testing the tender tank for leaks - 29 April 2007. The boiler can now be fitted to the frames.

The above photos from Rob Faulkner are from the working day on 4th March. The first shows Martin and Laurence working on cleaning up the front of 592, and the second shows Ian cleaning up the edges of the axleboxes having removed the white metal from two of the axleboxes.

As of 28th February, Russ Hubner reports the encouraging news that the boiler tubes are going in.
It is hoped to have the boiler full of water by the middle of March
when we are due a visit from the boiler inspector.

Another working day on 592 was held on 21st January 2007. The slide bars have been cleaned up, and the workshop staff have continued with work on the boiler. The frames (above right) are being painted, with the inside faces part in undercoat, but partially finished to top-coat. The boiler tubes are also seen in front of the frames, being prepared for fitting to the boiler.

Work is progressing on cleaning up the motion, and as seen above, the wheels.

On 25th November 2006 there was another volunteer working day. 592's frames and tender are now back in the workshop, work continues on the replacement boiler (photo right), and the wheelsets have been removed from the frames. Work is progressing on replacing corroded plate work and overhauling the steps.

On the First working day, 30th April 2006, Phil Stoneman is seen needle-gunning the spare C class boiler. The boiler is on the boiler trolley. The spare boiler is being prepared since the one currently on the loco is life expired.

Some of the group painting the tender top with bitumastic paint. This tender is also the "Spare", fitted to the loco at its last overhaul.